Preparation of occlusive dressings

ABSTRACT

A method of preparing an occlusive wound dressing involves preparing a slurry of an occlusive composition with a hydrophobic compound and a bacteriostatic agent, applying the occlusive composition on a fabric to produce a coated fabric, disposing the coated fabric in packaging, adding water onto at least one of the coated fabric and the packaging, sealing the packaging containing the coated fabric, and irradiating the sealed package to sterilize and produce the occlusive wound dressing. The occlusive wound dressing has from about 60 wt % to about 75 wt % hydrophobic compound, from about 2 wt % to about 5 wt % bacteriostatic agent, from about 2 wt % to about 5 wt % water, and from about 5 wt % to about 36 wt % fabric.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a non-provisional application of and claims thebenefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 to U.S. Patent Application No. 61/933,561,titled PREPARATION OF OCCLUSIVE DRESSINGS, filed on Jan. 30, 2014, whichis incorporated herein in its entirety for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to wound dressings, and moreparticularly, to methods of producing occlusive wound dressingsincluding substrates formed with fibers impregnated with petrolatum.

BACKGROUND

Wound dressings can be used to protect and to facilitate healing ofwounds. Wound dressings are generally placed over a wound to protect andpromote healing of the wound. In the case of exuding wounds, such aspressure sores, ulcers, and burns, it is customary to apply a dressinghaving an absorbent material to absorb at least a portion of the woundexudates. To promote healing, occlusive wound dressings typically do nothave notable absorbent characteristics but provide an isolated,typically a water-tight and air-tight environment, to facilitatemaintaining moisture at or next to the wound bed.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,478,931 discloses sterilization of packages under heatand pressure in such a manner as to minimize distortion of the package.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,976 discloses dressings impregnated with an oilcomposition.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,570 discloses knitted hydrophobic web wounddressings.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0150764 disclosesnon-adherent wound dressings and related methods therefor.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0150765 disclosesantimicrobial non-adherent dressings and related methods therefor.

SUMMARY

One or more aspects of the present disclosure can be directed to amethod of preparing a wound dressing. In some cases, one or more aspectsof the present disclosure can be directed to a method of preparing anocclusive wound dressing. The method typically involves preparing aslurry of an occlusive composition consisting essentially of ahydrophobic compound and a bacteriostatic agent; applying a portion ofthe occlusive composition on a fabric comprised of at least one ofcotton, polyester, rayon, cellulose acetate, and polyimide to produce acoated fabric; disposing the coated fabric on a portion of a firstpackaging member; introducing water on at least one of the coated fabricand the portion of the first packaging member; sealing the firstpackaging member to a second packaging member to produce a sealedpackage containing the coated fabric with the occlusive composition;irradiating the sealed package to produce the occlusive wound dressing.In some embodiments, pertinent to one or more aspects, thebacteriostatic agent can be bismuth tribromophenate. In someembodiments, the hydrophobic compound can be petrolatum. In some furtherembodiments, applying the portion of the occlusive composition on thefabric can involve applying the portion of the occlusive composition onfabric comprised of at least one of cotton, polyester, rayon, celluloseacetate, and polyimide, and an antibacterial agent to produce the coatedfabric. The occlusive dressing can, in some cases, contain from about 60wt % to about 75 wt % petrolatum, from about 2 wt % to about 5 wt %bismuth tribromophenate, from about 2 wt % to about 15 wt % water, andfrom about 5 wt % to about 36 wt % fabric. In still further embodiments,applying the portion of the occlusive composition on the fabric caninvolve dipping the fabric in the slurry of occlusive composition andremoving excess slurry from the dipped fabric with nip rollers toproduce the coated fabric. In yet further embodiments, disposing thecoated fabric can involve pleating a portion of the coated fabric ontothe portion of the first packaging member. The method, in someembodiments, can further involve providing a polyethylene film on atleast one of a peripheral portion of the first packaging member and aperipheral portion of the second packaging member. Sealing the firstpackaging member to the second packaging member can involve melting atleast a portion of the polyethylene film to produce the sealed packagecontaining the coated fabric with the occlusive composition. The methodcan further involve, prior to disposing the coated fabric on the portionof the first packaging member, disposing a predetermined amount of thehydrophobic compound on at least one of the portion of the firstpackaging member and the coated fabric; and, prior to irradiating thesealed package, heat soaking the sealed package for a predeterminedperiod. The heat soak environment can have a temperature of at leastabout 120° F. and the predetermined heat soak period can be at leastabout four hours. Irradiating the scaled package can involve exposingthe sealed package to a total dose of gamma radiation in a range of fromabout 15 kGy to about 55 kGy. The antimicrobial agent can be oneselected from the group consisting of polyhexamethylene biguanide;triclosan or 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether, chlorhexidineand salts thereof; silver and salts or complexes thereof; polymyxin,tetracycline; aminoglycoside compounds; bacitracin; neomycin;chloramphenicol; miconazole; and combinations thereof. The method, infurther embodiments, can further involve creating a pocket on the firstpackaging member, and wherein disposing the coated fabric on the firstpackaging member involves disposing at least a portion of the coatedfabric in the pocket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated in and constitute a partof this disclosure, illustrate embodiments therein and, togethertherewith, serves to explain the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart schematically illustrating exemplary steps on oneor more embodiments in accordance with one or more aspects of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more embodiments of the wound dressings according to the presentdisclosure may be used in treating burn wounds and/or other wounds whereocclusive properties of the wound dressing are desirable. One or moreembodiments of the wound dressings may be used as an occlusive wounddressings that provides or facilitates a moist healing environment at orabout a wound bed. The wound dressings typically have enhancednon-adherent properties due to both the inclusion of a hydrophobicocclusive composition and non-adherent polymer materials. Some aspectsof the present disclosure pertain to preparation of a wound dressing. Insome cases, one or more steps of the method of preparationadvantageously stabilize or provide a stabilized wound dressing. In somecases, one or more aspects of the disclosure can pertain to inhibitingaging or reducing the likelihood of accelerated aging of the wounddressing during manufacturing of the dressing.

Occlusive wound dressings in accordance with one or more aspects of thepresent disclosure typically have a substrate and an occlusivecomposition thereon. In some cases, the substrate can have one or morebioactive agents. In other cases, the occlusive composition can have oneor more bioactive agents. In still further cases, the substrate and theocclusive composition can each have one or more bioactive agents, whichcan be the same or different or be variants thereof. The occlusivecomposition can be petrolatum and the bioactive agent can be abacteriostatic agent. In some further examples, the bioactive agent canbe an antimicrobial agent.

The method of preparing the wound dressing can involve one or more stepsof providing an occlusive composition and providing a substrate uponwhich the occlusive composition is applied to produce a coatedsubstrate. The method can further involve packaging the coatedsubstrate. In some advantageous embodiments, the method further involvessterilizing the package containing the coated substrate. Sterilizing ispreferably performed by irradiating the packaged, coated substrate withgamma radiation, rather than by exposure to high temperature steam. Oneor more further aspects of the method of preparation can advantageouslyinvolve adding a stabilizing agent. Still further aspects of the methodof preparation can involve facilitating distribution of the occlusivecomposition on the substrate, preferably on the coated substrate whendisposed in the packaging.

With reference to FIG. 1 , the method of preparing the wound dressingcan involve one or more steps of preparing a slurry 110 of an occlusivecomposition consisting essentially of a hydrophobic compound and abacteriostatic agent, applying a portion of the occlusive composition120 on a fabric comprised of at least one of cotton, polyester, rayon,cellulose acetate, and polyimide to produce a coated fabric, disposingthe coated fabric 130 on a portion of a first packaging member,introducing water 140 on at least one of the coated fabric and theportion of the first packaging member, scaling the first packagingmember to a second packaging member 150 to produce a sealed packagecontaining the coated fabric with the occlusive composition, andirradiating the sealed package 160 to produce the occlusive wounddressing.

Applying the portion of the occlusive composition on the fabric caninvolve dipping the fabric 122 in the slurry of occlusive compositionand removing any excess slurry 124 from the dipped fabric with niprollers to produce the coated fabric. Disposing the coated fabric canfurther involve pleating a portion of the coated fabric 126 onto theportion of the first packaging member and cutting the coated fabric 128to a predetermined size. The method can further involve providing apolyethylene film on at least one of a peripheral portion of the firstpackaging member and a peripheral portion of the second packaging member(not shown), and wherein sealing the first packaging member to thesecond packaging member can involve melting at least a portion of thepolyethylene film to produce the sealed package containing the coatedfabric with the occlusive composition. The method can further involveforming a pocket on the first packaging member 170 and, in some cases,disposing a predetermined amount of the hydrophobic compound 180 on atleast one of the portion of the first packaging member and the coatedfabric; and, prior to irradiating the sealed package, heat soaking thesealed package 190 in an environment having a temperature of at leastabout 120° F. for at least about four hours.

Irradiating the sealed package can involve exposing the sealed packageto a total dose of gamma radiation in a range of from about 15 kGy toabout 55 kGy. Irradiation can be performed in one or more exposureperiods to provide the total or target exposure dose of gamma radiation.

The antimicrobial agent can be selected from the group consisting ofpolyhexamethylene biguanide; triclosan or2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether, chlorhexidine and saltsthereof; silver and salts or complexes thereof; polymyxin, tetracycline;aminoglycoside compounds; bacitracin; neomycin; chloramphenicol;miconazole; and combinations thereof.

In some cases, the method can involve creating a pocket on the firstpackaging member and thus, disposing the coated fabric on the firstpackaging member can involve disposing at least a portion of the coatedfabric in the pocket. Applying the portion of the occlusive compositionon the fabric can involve applying the portion of the occlusivecomposition on fabric comprised of at least one of cotton, polyester,rayon, cellulose acetate, and polyimide, and an antibacterial agent toproduce the coated fabric.

Bioactive agents such as PHMB, bismuth tribromophenate, or othermedicaments, antimicrobial agents, bacteriostatic agents, hemostaticagents, tissue scaffolding agents, anti-thrombogenic agents,vasodilation agents, anesthetic agents, anti-inflammatory agents,anticancer agents, angiostatic agents, immune boosting agents, skinsealing agents, wound healing agents, and/or wound debriding agents, maybe used to, for example, decrease the incidence of infection orotherwise promote healing of a wound. Any of the one or more bioactiveagents may be disposed into any the fibers, yarns, substrates, and wounddressings of the disclosure by immersion thereof in a solution includingone or more agents, and, optionally, drying the solvents from theimmersed, coated, infused fiber, yarn, substrate or wound dressing toany desired bioactive agent concentration, for example, to aconcentration that at least partially inhibits any microbial activitytherein.

Introduction of the one or more bioactive agents can be performed duringor after any one or more of yarns fabrication, substrates fabrication,or wound dressing fabrication, or, in some cases, after any one ofbleaching and sterilizing. The bioactive agent can be in an amountranging from about 1 wt % to about 5 wt %, based on the weight of thedressing. The at least one antimicrobial agent can include, for example,biguanides such as but not limited to polyhexamethylene biguanide(PHMB).

The at least one antimicrobial agent may be present in the substrate inan amount in a range of from about 500 ppm to about 3,500 ppm and insome cases in a range of from about 1,500 ppm to about 3,500 ppm. Insome particular cases, the amount of the at least one antimicrobialagent is present in the substrate in a range of from about 500 ppm toabout 1,000 ppm.

The hydrophobic compound can be white USP petrolatum commerciallyavailable from, for example, Sonneborn LLC, Parsippany, New Jersey, andfrom Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P., Indianapolis, Indiana.For example, the hydrophobic compound can be petrolatum having aspecific gravity in a range of from about 0.81 to about 0.9 at 60 C.,and a melting temperature in a range of from about 35 C to about 65 C.The bacteriostatic agent typically has an effective particle diametersuch that about 90 wt % of the particles have a diameter of less thanabout 5 μm, about 99.5 wt % of the particles have a diameter of lessthan about 10 μm, and/or about 99.9 wt % of the particles have adiameter of less than about 50 μm. Bismuth tribromophenate iscommercially available from, for example, Omicron Quimica, SA and fromSpecialty Quality Products, Inc.

The occlusive dressing typically has from about 60 wt % to about 75 wt %petrolatum, from about 2 wt % to about 5 wt % bismuth tribromophenate,from about 2 wt % to about 15 wt % water, and from about 5 wt % to about36 wt % fabric. In some cases, the occlusive dressing comprises fromabout 60 wt % to about 75 wt % petrolatum, from about 2 wt % to about 5wt % bismuth tribromophenate, from about 2 wt % to about 15 wt % water,and from about 5 wt % to about 36 wt % fabric. In some cases, theocclusive dressing consists essentially of from about 60 wt % to about75 wt % petrolatum, from about 2 wt % to about 5 wt % bismuthtribromophenate, from about 2 wt % to about 15 wt % water, and fromabout 5 wt % to about 36 wt % fabric. In some cases, the occlusivedressing consists of from about 60 wt % to about 75 wt % petrolatum,from about 2 wt % to about 5 wt % bismuth tribromophenate, from about 2wt % to about 15 wt % water, and from about 5 wt % to about 36 wt %fabric.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure, the wounddressing can consist essentially of a substrate and an occlusivecomposition with a bacteriostatic agent. In accordance with one or moreaspects of the disclosure, the wound dressing can consist essentially ofa substrate, an occlusive composition with a bacteriostatic agent, andan antimicrobial agent In some cases, the wound dressing can consistessentially of a fibrous substrate having an occlusive compositionconsisting essentially of petrolatum and a bacteriostatic agent disposedon the substrate. In some cases, the wound dressing can consistessentially of a fibrous substrate, an occlusive composition consistingessentially of petrolatum and a bacteriostatic agent, and anantimicrobial agent.

The substrate, in some embodiments of the disclosure, can be a wovenfabric comprising first yarns and second yarns respectively interwovenin a warp direction and in a weft direction. In other cases, thesubstrate can be a woven fabric comprising first yarns and second yarnsrespectively interwoven in a weft direction and in a warp direction.

In some cases, the substrate can have a plurality of first yarnscomprising cellulosic fibers. In some cases, the substrate can consistof cellulosic fibers. In still other cases, the substrate can furtherhave a plurality of second yarns comprising non-adherent polymericfibers. In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure, the firstyarns can have at least one of a bast fiber and another cellulosicfiber, and the second yarns can comprise non-adherent polymeric fibers.In still other cases, the substrate can consist of or consistessentially of cellulosic fibers and non-adherent polymeric fibers. Inyet other cases, the substrate can consist of or consist essentially ofbast fibers and cellulosic acetate fibers. For example, the wounddressing can have a substrate that consists of first yarns of at leastone of a bast fiber and a cellulosic fiber, and second yarns ofnon-adherent polymeric fibers; and an occlusive composition with abacteriostatic agent disposed on at least a portion the substrate. Inaccordance with still further embodiments of the disclosure, the wounddressing can consist essentially of first yarns consisting essentiallyof at least one of a bast fiber and a cellulosic fiber, and second yarnsconsisting essentially of non-adherent polymeric fibers; and anocclusive composition with a bacteriostatic agent on at least a portionthe substrate. In accordance with yet further embodiments of thedisclosure, the wound dressing can consist of first yarns consisting ofat least one of a bast fiber and a cellulosic fiber, and second yarnsconsisting of non-adherent polymeric fibers; and an occlusivecomposition with a bacteriostatic agent disposed on at least a portionthe substrate.

The material of the non-adherent polymeric fibers can be a polymerselected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene.polyfluoroethylene, polyfluoropropylene, polyfluoropolyethylene glycol,polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylenenaphthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate,and combinations thereof. In other cases, the non-adherent fibers thatcan be utilized in any of the substrates disclosed herein can becomprised of sodium alginate, calcium alginate, or combinations thereof.The cellulosic material, in some embodiments of the disclosure, cancomprise about 5% to about 50% by weight of the substrate. Thenon-adherent polymeric fibers, in some embodiments of the disclosure,can comprise about 50% to about 95% by weight of the substrate. Thesubstrate, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure,can have at least one antimicrobial agent incorporated therein.

The at least one antimicrobial agent may be applied directly to thesubstrate either before or after application of the occlusivecomposition with a bacteriostatic agent. The one or more antimicrobialagent may be applied by spraying, solution casting, dipping, andcombinations thereof. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,289 titled“Method and Manufacture of a Wound Dressing for Covering an Open Wound”describes a system and method for applying PHMB to a cellulosic bandage,which is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

Yarns may include any number of fibers and be dimensioned in a varietyof sizes and shapes. Yarns may have a size ranging from about 25 Englishcotton yarn number (Ne) count to about 40 Ne count, in embodiments fromabout 30 Ne to about 37 Ne. Yarns may have a break factor from about1,700 pound cotton count (lb·Ne) to about 2,500 lb·Ne, in embodimentsfrom about 2,000 lb·Ne to about 2,200 lb·Ne.

The yarns may be braided, twisted, aligned, fused, or otherwise joinedto form a variety of different wound dressing configurations. The yarnsmay be woven, knitted, interlaced, braided, or combinations thereof, tobe formed into a substrate, such as a fabric, for a wound dressing or byother non-weaving techniques. The structure thereof will vary dependingupon the assembling technique utilized to form the fabric, as well asother factors such as the type of fibers used, the tension at which theyarns are held, and the mechanical properties required of the wounddressing.

In some embodiments in accordance with some aspects of the disclosure,knitting may be utilized to form any of the various wound dressings.Knitting typically involves the intermeshing of yarns to form loops, orinterloping of the yarns. In some embodiments of the disclosure, any ofthe various herein disclosed yarns may be warp-knitted thereby creatingvertical interlocking loop chains and/or may be weft-knitted therebycreating rows of interlocking loop stitches across the wound dressing.

Any of the substrates of the present disclosure may be formed into anonwoven substrate by a technique including any of mechanically,chemically, thermally bonding the yarns into a sheet or web in a randomor systematic arrangement. For example, one or more yarns of the presentdisclosure may be mechanically bound by entangling the yarns to form thewound dressing by means other than knitting or weaving, such as matting,pressing, stitch-bonding, needle-punching, or otherwise interlocking theyarns to form a binderless network. Alternatively, any of the yarns maybe chemically bound by an adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive, or bethermally bound by a binder such as a powder, paste, or melt, andmelting the binder on the sheet or web of yarns.

In other cases, any of the substrates of the present disclosure may beformed by spunlacing or hydroentangling fiber or yarns that have beenformed by carding, airlaying, or wet-forming processes, and exposing theyarns or fibers to high speed jets of water to at least partiallyentangle at least a portion of the yarn or fiber, with itself and/orwith other yarns or fibers. In still other cases, any of the nonwovensubstrates of the present disclosure may be formed by needle-punching aprecursor web of fibers or yarns, which typically have been prepared byspunbonding or by carding, and striking the yarns or fibers with barbedfelting needles to at least partially interlock at least a portion ofthe yarn or fiber, with itself and/or with other yarns or fibers. In yetother cases, any of the nonwoven substrates of the present disclosuremay be formed by extruding molten polymeric material into filaments,overlaying the molten filaments and allowing the filaments to cool andform bonds at contact points. In further cases, any of the substrates ofthe disclosure can be formed by meltblowing techniques which typicallyinvolve extruding molten polymeric material and drawing the extrudedmolten filaments with high velocity jets of air to form fine filamentsthat have one or more bond contact points. In yet further cases, any ofthe substrates of the disclosure may be formed by preparing a precursorweb with thermoplastic polymeric material, which typically can be formedby any of carding, airlaying, or spunbonding, and melting at least aportion of the thermoplastic material, typically by utilizing heatedcalender rolls, to form bonds with other fibers. In yet further cases,any of the substrates of the present disclosure can be formed bychemically bonding at least a portion of fibers in the substrate byutilizing a chemical binder, such as latex.

Weaving may be utilized to form any of the substrates or wound dressingsof the disclosure. Weaving may involve, for example, the intersection oftwo sets of straight yarns, warp and weft, which cross and interweave atright angles to each other, or the interlacing of two yarns at rightangles to each other.

The yarns may include any number and combination of multifilament,monofilament, and/or bi-components fibers formed from cellulosic ornon-adherent polymeric materials. Cellulosic material may be present inan amount from 5% to about 50% by weight of the yarns, in embodimentsfrom about 10% to about 45% by weight of the yarns, and in furtherembodiments from about 15% to about 40% by weight of the yarns. Theyarns may include the non-adherent polymeric material described abovefrom 50% to about 95% by weight of the yarns, in embodiments from about55% to about 90% by weight of the fiber, and in further embodiments fromabout 60% to about 80% by weight of the yarns. Yarns may be monofilamentor multifilament, homogeneous or heterogeneous yarns, as describedherein. The yarns may be interconnected in any manner as describedherein. For example, yarns in staple form may be spun using standardspinning methodologies, such as open end spinning, ring spinning, airjet spinning, and other techniques to form any of the substrates.

The yarns, fabrics, or substrates may be scoured and bleached to meetdesirable, suggested, and/or mandated standards, such as the gauzefabric standards from United States Pharmacopeia Convention. The yarns,fabrics, substrates, or wound dressings may be sterilized using standardsterility protocols to conform to suggested or mandated sterilitystandards. For example, the various embodiments or components thereof ofthe disclosure can be sterilized to conform to sterilization standardsof medical devices as set forth by the International Organization forStandardization including, for example, ISO 11137 for gamma and e-beamsterilization for medical devices.

The slurry can be prepared by heating the hydrophobic compound to atemperature sufficient to melt or liquefy the hydrophobic compound, suchas to a temperature in a range of from about 60 C to about 75 C, andadding and mixing the bioactive agent, such as tribromophenate, for asufficient time to achieve homogeneity, such as for at least about 20minutes. Preferably, the slurry is continuously or continually stirredor mixed at a slurry temperature, which can be in a range of from about60 C to about 71 C. Application of the slurry on the substrate ispreferably performed while the slurry is at the slurry temperature.

It should be understood that the wound dressings of the presentdisclosure are not limited to those illustrated and described herein andalternate wound dressings and components thereof may be utilized.Moreover, wound dressings of the present disclosure may be formed bylayering one or more of the same or different wound dressings togetherto form a three-dimensional structure with any one or more desireddressing properties. For example, any of the layers of the structure canutilize any of a substrate formed of woven fibers or yarns, a substrateformed of nonwoven fibers or yarns, and a substrate formed of knittedfibers or yarns.

What is claimed:
 1. A wound dressing, comprising: from about 60 wt % toabout 75 wt % petrolatum, from about 2 wt % to about 5 wt % bismuthtribromophenate, from about 2 wt % to about 15 wt % water, and fromabout 5 wt % to about 36 wt % fabric.
 2. The wound dressing of claim 1,further comprising an antibacterial agent.
 3. The wound dressing ofclaim 2, wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the groupconsisting of polyhexamethylene biguanide;2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether; chlorhexidine and saltsthereof; silver and salts or complexes thereof; polymyxin, tetracycline;aminoglycoside compounds; bacitracin; neomycin; chloramphenicol;miconazole; and combinations thereof.
 4. The wound dressing of claim 2,wherein the antimicrobial agent is present in the wound dressing in anamount from about 500 ppm to about 3,500 ppm.
 5. The wound dressing ofclaim 4, wherein the antimicrobial agent is present in the wounddressing in an amount from about 500 ppm to about 1,000 ppm.
 6. Thewound dressing of claim 3, wherein the antimicrobial agent ispolyhexamethylene biguanide.
 7. The wound dressing of claim 1, furthercomprising a bioactive agent.
 8. The wound dressing of claim 7, whereinthe bioactive agent is selected from the group consisting ofpolyhexamethylene biguanide and bismuth tribromophenate.
 9. The wounddressing of claim 8, wherein the bioactive agent is bismuthtribromophenate.
 10. The wound dressing of claim 7, wherein thebioactive agent is present in the wound dressing in an amount from about1 wt % to about 5 wt % by weight of the dressing.
 11. The wound dressingof claim 1, wherein the wound dressing is an occlusive wound dressing.12. The wound dressing of claim 1, wherein the fabric is comprised of atleast one of cotton, polyester, rayon, cellulose acetate, and polyimide.13. The wound dressing of claim 1, wherein the wound dressing consistingessentially of: from about 60 wt % to about 75 wt % petrolatum, fromabout 2 wt % to about 5 wt % bismuth tribromophenate, from about 2 wt %to about 15 wt % water, and from about 5 wt % to about 36 wt % fabric.14. The wound dressing of claim 1, wherein the fabric is a woven fabric.15. The wound dressing of claim 1, wherein the woven fabric comprisesfirst and second yarns.
 16. The wound dressing of claim 15, wherein thefirst yarns comprise cellulosic fibers.
 17. The wound dressing of claim15, wherein the second yarns comprise non-adherent polymeric fibers. 18.The wound dressing of claim 17, wherein the non-adherent polymericfibers can be a polymer selected from the group consisting ofpolyethylene, polypropylene, polyfluoroethylene, polyfluoropropylene,polyfluoroethylene glycol, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate,polybutylene terephthalate, and combinations thereof.
 19. The wounddressing of claim 1, wherein the fabric is a nonwoven fabric.